This invention relates to expansion joint covers and, in particular, to expansion joint covers for use in bridging spaces between adjacent floor sections or between a floor and wall on opposite sides of an expansion gap.
The covers used at expansion gaps between sections of buildings serve several functions. Floor-to-floor covers ordinarily must be constructed to carry the loads of persons or objects moving across the gap. Virtually all floor-to-floor and many floor-to-wall expansion joint covers, therefore, have a rigid bridging member that is supported by rigid frame members in a manner that permits relative movement of the frame members as the frame members move with the building sections upon expansion and contraction of the building. In many cases, one or both of the frame members that are anchored to the respective sections are constructed in two parts to permit installation of the sealing element in the final stages of assembly of the cover. Most floor expansion joint covers are also designed to provide a seal against air leakage, and in some cases liquid leakage, and most expansion joint covers have one or more sealing elements for that purpose. The design objectives of providing load-supporting capability, durability and effective sealing have tended to result in complicated, expensive designs requiring several component parts and a considerable amount of field work for installation. Many existing joint cover designs have failed to fulfill adequately all of the functions they were intended to fulfill, effective sealing and durability being the attributes most often lacking.